Sunset
by pandolfi
Summary: An inflammatory speech by the Muggle Minister of Resolvement and Reconciliation prompts a Wizarding response. Contains assassination, concentration camps, and more. Part of the Tomorrow universe. Short.


_Disclaimer: the Harry Potter universe belongs to JK Rowling, despite the fact that Book 6 was less than perfect._

Part of the 'Tomorrow' universe: the Muggle Prime Minister of Great Britain has told the world about magic as a result of more than 7,000 Muggle deaths due to Death Eater activity. A persecution of magic in general begins, effectively making the small remnants of the Order of the Phoenix fight two fronts in the war while trying not to hurt any Muggles. It is 2019 and almost all hope seems lost for the wizarding world 'good': will British wizarding society, which has lasted for more than two millennia, be overcome by the Muggle tide? Note: "Sunset" is set before "Tomorrow".

**Sunset**

It was a beautiful sunset. Strangely changing hues of red and orange were painted on the canvas of the sky, their colors swirling together but never quite mixing. Thin wisps of cloud floated on the gentle breeze, the color of fresh cream.

It seemed to be a beautiful sunset and upcoming night to those sitting on slightly uncomfortable plastic chairs in front of the Ministry of Resolvement and Reconciliation. An austere building of concrete, steel, and glass, the Ministry had been built about a year ago, in the heyday of the persecution. It housed those in the government that oversaw the sanctioned removal of the 'deviant society'. On this evening, the crowd waited in anticipation for the ministerial head to speak on the ministry's progress. At two minutes after eight the man, elegantly dressed in an expertly tailored charcoal suit, walked onto the makeshift wooden stage. A hush fell immediately over the expectant crowd as he began to speak.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, honored guests, I say to you: welcome! Today is a momentous occasion, both in the history of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and the world. One year ago to this day the Ministry of Resolvement and Reconciliation opened its doors. Since its inauguration last August, we at the Ministry have apprehended more than two thousand leading members of their society and are currently on the trail of their former minister, the mastermind behind the assassination of the Queen!"

At this news the crowd spontaneously exploded and it took the better part of two minutes for it to calm down again. The minister, with a slight smile on his normally expressionless face, continued.

"All of England shares your sentiments, and I personally promise that she will be brought to justice in the three months or less! But let us now turn to more practical talk: how is the United Kingdom to control these sadly misguided people? While on the surface it may seem as though the Ministry is not taking safeguards to prevent them from returning, we are doing much away from the public's eyes. We at the MRR feel that it is time to make public our most ambitious plan yet."

He paused, as though for dramatic effect, and adjusted his white silk tie emblazoned with the Ministry shield. He tilted his face away from the glare of the setting sun and continued talking.

"For the past four months you may have notices reports in the papers that we have taken more than seven thousand people into custody. Those that have been deemed extremely dangerous are residing in top-security prisons, around 250 people, but the majority are now living in re-education facilities, where they will hopefully be able to learn how to be members of our society once again."

Murmurs came from the crowd at this, and the journalists wrote furiously, pencils making an audible scratching noise. The junior French envoy, seated at the back, shook his head slightly, frowned, and bent down to whisper to his adjutant. The rest of the crowd, however, seemed more receptive to the news, and a group of women with a banner that proclaimed 'Mothers Without Sons' broke into joyous smiles. The minister, clearly pleased at the public reaction, allowed himself an almost invisible grin before slipping into his practiced lecture mode. "Yes, this is something we can celebrate about: imagine, in a few years London and the rest of the country can be free of th—"

A bright green flash of light illuminated the front rows of the seated crowd as the minister of resolvement and reconciliation fell, his suit coat billowing out behind him, dead. His body hit the wooden stage with a loud thump as mass chaos broke out. People dressed in gala gowns and tuxedos with bow ties rushed away from the plaza and the stage, overturning chairs and crushing those not moving quickly enough to escape the human tide. A hideous rope of fiery emerald shot into the almost dark sky and formed a grinning skull with a snake between its teeth. Armed guards rushed from the plaza's perimeter to the person holding the wand; as a shot rang out to prevent the man from Apparating away the last rays of the sun dipped down beneath the horizon, leaving only the reddish-orange remnants of bloody light to shine on the two dead bodies below. A clock tolled once, its sound echoing around the almost deserted square in front of the Ministry of Resolvement and Reconciliation: it was eight fourteen.

Fin


End file.
